United World Schools USA Inc

What it reported doing in 2025

Founded in 2008, uws operates as a global non-profit dedicated to breaking down educational barriers for children living in isolated and underserved communities worldwide. Through strategic partnerships with local organizations, community leaders, and national governments, we build educational infrastructure, develop teaching capacity, and reinforce learning frameworks from the ground up.across the rural landscapes of nepal, cambodia, myanmar, and madagascar, uws creates a lasting educational impact. We're not just building schools-we're cultivating learning environments that empower entire communities with skills and knowledge that will benefit future generations. Each success represents the profound capacity of education to inspire hope and create pathways to opportunity.the establishment of uws USA in 2019 marked our commitment to addressing the global education emergency on a broader scale. Today's reality is stark: 244 million children remain outside formal schooling systems, while over half of all children worldwide lack basic reading comprehension by their tenth birthday. The covid-19 pandemic intensified these challenges, creating unprecedented disruptions to learning that continue to affect educational outcomes globally. This mounting crisis demands an urgent and coordinated response.compounding these challenges are the systemic weaknesses plaguing education in low-income regions. Years of insufficient investment have led to severe teacher shortages, particularly in rural areas, where qualified educators often gravitate toward better-resourced urban positions. Where educational facilities exist, overcrowded classrooms and outdated teaching methods usually deter students, as they struggle to see the relevance of education in their lives. This quality divide mirrors and perpetuates the broader disparities between urban centers and rural communities.the stakes of this educational emergency cannot be minimized. For children and adults trapped in cycles of economic and social disadvantage, education represents their most powerful pathway to transformation and opportunity. Making quality education accessible to all must rank among our highest global commitments.uws addresses these complex challenges through our comprehensive five-pillar framework, designed to align with the united nations' sustainable development goals. Our integrated approach focuses on expanding access, enhancing quality, promoting inclusion, strengthening educational systems, and fostering communities that can sustain progress for generations to come.since 2008, uws has constructed over 325 schools, trained more than 1,500 teachers, and enrolled over 75,000 students. Some additional 2024 highlights include: 1uws has achieved gender parity in student enrolment across our schools 2in nepal, 100% of schools' wash facilities are meeting gender-friendly standards.3the average student attendance across uws schools was 92% compared with a 75% national average in our countries of operation.4currently, 163 uws girls' clubs and mothers' groups engage women and girls in discussions of critical issues and their rights.5the average uws teacher attendance was 91% compared to 74% for government teachers in our countries of operation.uws will continue to educate the future to change the future!

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 74.7%; rating input score 75
• Program expense ratio: 71.8%; rating input score 72
• Fundraising efficiency: $6.29 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 91.7%; rating input score 92; 15th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Missing
• Foreign activity oversight: 0 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 0
  • Claims monitoring procedures: Fail
  • Requires narrative reports: Fail
  • Conducts field audits: Fail
  • May suspend future funding: Fail
  • Requires financial reports: Fail
  • Conducts site visits: Fail
  • Requires grant agreements: Fail
  • May require repayment: Fail
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Fail
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -4%; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.17; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.09; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 19.1%; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 46.7% per year; rating input score 100; 94th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 34.4% per year; rating input score 100; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 7.9% per year; rating input score 100; 48th percentile among comparable filings